The Sunday News
THE Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers’ Union (ZCFU) Matabeleland North province chapter, will next year embark on an extensive livestock Artificial Insemination (AI) programme in a bid to improve the animals’ genetics and subsequently increase the provincial herd.
Matabeleland North ZCFU chairman, Mr Winston Babbage, said the organisation had reached an agreement with an expert from Matopo Research Station to conduct an AI programme on cattle (dairy and beef) and pigs in the province.
He said the semen to be used in the exercise would be from pedigree bulls. For the dairy cows the collected semen would be from the Jersey, Holstein and Friesian breeds while that for the beef cattle would be Hereford, Limousion, Simmental and Angus.
“We have sought the services of a specialist to carry out an AI throughout the province for a period of six months starting from January next year.
“We have realised that the genetics in this part of the country are bad and this expert will be tasked to improve on them and at the moment there is a severe shortage of bulls in communal areas,” Mr Babbage said.
Farmers would be obliged to pay $70 for an AI procedure on one cow and $450 for seven.
“Of course there is a need to improve the provincial and the country’s cattle herd but let’s do so with proper genetics and also our export market needs to be re-opened because that’s where we are likely to get a lot of revenue.
“The AI programme will also be extended to pigs because most farmers don’t have good breeds and there is need to improve on that,” Mr Babbage said.
He said farmers affiliated to ZCFU were going to get first preference in the AI programme though it would be opened to every farmer.
AI is the process of collecting sperm cells from a male animal and manually depositing them into the reproductive tract of a female. One can cite a number of potential benefits from the use of artificial insemination.
Livestock specialist, Mr Mhlupheki Dube, said AI was ideal towards improving genetics as well as affordable compared to purchasing a pedigree bull.
“There is no doubt that AI improves animal genetics but some farmers especially in communal areas might still find it a bit expensive because having a single cow going through the exercise costs more than $50.
“However, it is a reasonable price offer if you are to take into consideration that a good pedigree bull costs nothing less than $2 500 to $5 000. The procedure is a bit sophisticated it cannot be applied by an ordinary person so it becomes difficult for farmers in remote areas to seek such experts,” Mr Dube said.
